SINGAPORE, Aug 25 — Presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian took issue with the authorities removing what he described as key parts of his speech at his first Presidential Candidate Broadcast, but they said that this was done because his statements contained "inaccuracies” about the President’s role.

Tan, 75, told reporters yesterday that three statements, which he considered "the most important parts of my speech”, were taken out on the grounds that the contents were "outside of the President’s prerogative”.

He added that he did not agree with the decision by the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).

In response, the Elections Department Singapore (ELD) and IMDA said in a joint statement that all candidates had signed a statutory declaration on their nomination paper to confirm that they have read the explanatory material on the President’s constitutional role, including the specific examples of what the President can and cannot do.

"Mr Tan Kin Lian’s original script had inaccuracies about the President’s role,” the agencies said.

"Specifically, he suggested that the President can provide guidance on the reserves’ investment strategies and influence government policy. After being notified of the inaccuracies, Mr Tan’s election agent had corrected them without objection.”

‘Rushed’ submission of speech

Speaking to the media before a scheduled walkabout at Senja Hawker Centre, Tan said that he believes IMDA "does not have the authority to interpret the Constitution in their way”.

Tan added that his speech for Thursday evening’s broadcast had been recorded without the three statements because he "did not have time to argue about that” and that he would "deal with IMDA separately”.

The former chief executive officer of NTUC Income insurance cooperative also bemoaned what he perceived to be the hurried manner in which he had to submit his speeches for the broadcast.

"I received approval of my nomination at one o’clock on Tuesday. I had to submit the script of my broadcasts to IMDA by a deadline the following day,” he said.

"I had to prepare a script in English, translate into Chinese, Malay and Tamil, and present four printed copies, and a soft copy. It was very rushed.

"How do you expect me, with many things to take care of in a campaign, to meet these requirements?”

In response to Tan, ELD and IMDA said that the presidential candidates were informed of the timings of the Presidential Candidate Broadcast and the rules on Aug 12 and were briefed on Aug 21.

All candidates must submit their scripts in advance.

On IMDA’s website, it is stated that candidates may deliver their campaigning messages in all or any of the four official languages, but are not required to use all four.

Tan also posted on his website about the removal of the three statements and listed them.

Besides touching on providing guidance on the investment strategies for the country’s reserves, the statements also covered his "vision” to use the President’s office to "influence” government policies related to the cost of living, housing and jobs.

Political analysts previously told TODAY that an elected president can offer his opinions on government policies, but there is no legal obligation or moral duty on the Government to receive or accept these views.

Political observer Eugene Tan, a law lecturer with Singapore Management University, said on Thursday that what IMDA did was "right and proper”.

"Mr Tan would have been misrepresenting in a national broadcast across different media platforms the roles, functions and powers of the President.

"As IMDA has the responsibility in the conduct of such election broadcasts, Mr Tan forced IMDA’s hand,” he added.

"The broadcast cannot be a means by which Mr Tan presents a vision of the presidency that does not and cannot exist under the Singapore Constitution.” — TODAY